Karachi mayor apologises to family of boy his son assaulted
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Karachi Mayor Wasim Akhtar on Saturday visited the residence of Hasnain Haider Abbasi – the teenager his son was booked for assaulting – and apologised on behalf of his son.
Mahboob Abbasi, who is the victim's father, told Dawn that Akhtar had made telephonic contact with him after the FIR was lodged and protesters had gathered outside the press club.
Abbasi said later Wasim Akhtar along with his son, Taimur Wasim, had visited his residence in Clifton, where MPA Nusrat Abbasi, former bureaucrat Dr Shafqat Abbasi and senior politicians including Syed Ghulam Shah and Asif Baladi were also present.
"The mayor admitted his son's mistake and apologised for his behaviour," Abbasi said, adding that "my son and I have accepted the apology and will withdraw the case filed against Taimur".
Abbasi said Akhtar, while issuing his apology, insisted that such an incident should never have happened.
An official of the Darakshan police station had earlier told Dawn that the mayor's son, Taimur Wasim, and around eight to 10 others, including his guards, were booked for beating up 19-year-old student, Hasnain Haider, on the night of Dec 31.
The complainant said he was a resident of Clifton who along with his friend was waiting for other friends at a petrol pump in Phase-VIII of DHA when two Vigo vehicles arrived there at around 10pm on Dec 31. Around eight to 10 persons including security guards were travelling in the vehicles. They allegedly resorted to aerial firing, the complainant said, adding that when he inquired about the gunfire and abusive language, they again resorted to firing.
He said that he and his friends left the place in their car but were intercepted by the two Vigo vehicles near Hamza mosque. After stopping their car, the guards who disembarked from their vehicles along with Taimur Wasim told the complainant that he was the son of Karachi Mayor Wasim Akhtar. The complainant said he was beaten up by the guards and Taimur who allegedly used a pistol to hit him. The guards also smashed the windowpanes of the car. They attempted to force him to sit in their vehicle, he claimed, but on the resistance of his friends, the suspects hurled threats and abuse at them before rushing away.
